Employment drug testing has been in practice for a long time. Recently, the concept of drug and alcohol testing in Chicago has increased to determine whether a potential candidate or an existing employee has alcohol abuse or consumed illegal drug. Employees under alcohol intoxication and drug abuse at workplaces are a potential threat to the safety of other employees and the harmony of the office environment. 10-panel drug and alcohol testing has emerged as the standard for ensuring an alcohol-free and drug-free ambiance for every employee in an organization.
Pre-Employment Testing
When a candidate accepts an offer letter of employment from an employer, they will be asked to undertake alcohol and drug testing before joining. An organization asks potential employees to complete the pre-employment drug screening before entering the office. The terms and conditions of the drug test are at the employer’s discretion. Additionally, the state of employment is prepared so that if the candidate wants to take up the job, they need to take the test. Furthermore, in case of a positive result, the employment offer might also get canceled. Exceptions are made in case of medical drug consumption with proper prescriptions from physicians.
Random Testing
Some companies in the country conduct random drug screening to ensure a drug-free environment is maintained at the workplace throughout the year. Any employee will be asked to take the test in a random drug test, irrespective of their job position and performance. To conduct random drug and alcohol testing in Chicago, employers must abide by the rules and policies of random drug testing methods, like saliva, urine, blood, or hair follicles. Because of the random drug and alcohol screening, employees don’t dare to consume alcohol, drug, and other illegal substances during work hours. If their tests show positive results, suspension from work, salary deduction, and sometimes getting fired are common punishments.
Post-Accident Testing
When an employee suffers from a workplace accident, the organization might doubt their drug use. Based on Federal regulations and insurance policy guidelines, the employer will schedule a 10-panel alcohol and drug test. Organizations ask for conducting a drug test post-accident within 12 hours to get an accurate result. In case the candidate is found to be guilty of alcohol and drug abuse, they will be penalized or suspended based on the company policies.
Furthermore, there are situations when an employee consumes medication, like pain-management drugs, and drug tests will show positive results. In such cases, the employee must notify the company authorities in advance. Additionally, such candidates will be given a chance to retake the drug test when they are off the pain medications.
Periodic Testing
Drug and alcohol screening during recruitment is a common scenario for employers in the USA. Apart from pre-employment drug screening, periodic drug and alcohol testing in Chicago is also practiced. When an employer doubts that a specific employee or a group of employees is consuming narcotics and illegal substances and coming to the workplace, the periodic 10-panel drug test is the most effective solution. An employer can carry out a monthly, annual, or bi-monthly drug test to keep track of drug and alcohol abuse in employees.
Benefits of Employment Drug Screening
Incorporating an employment alcohol and drug screening policy has multiple benefits. Assuring the safety of the employees and the environment is one of the top-notch advantages of employment drug screening. Furthermore, it ensures that no candidate consumes illicit drugs, eliminating health problems. This helps the employees focus on their job roles, improving the business’s productivity and eliminating workplace accidents and injuries.
Conclusion
There are multiple reasons for companies to conduct drug tests on employees. 10-panel drug and alcohol testing in Chicago has become the standard method of pre-employment accuracy and maintaining high-level compliance with government regulations. Drug and alcohol abuse among employees can seriously impact the safety and protection of other employees, customers, and clients. In addition, injuries, higher absenteeism, and workplace accidents due to drug abuse can lead to a negative ambiance. It is the responsibility of the employers to ensure that the employees can work in a safe and friendly environment.